Pages

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Cardinal Meadowhawk

We saw two new dragonflies during our 14 July 2015 visit to Olympia’s McLane Creek Nature Trail. I am finally getting proficient enough to be on the lookout for species not on my list. These Cardinal Meadowhawks were the first of my “target species.” Confirming field marks included the red eyes and face along with the pale spots at the end of the thoracic stripes. These photos are of males—females are rarely seen.

Cardinal Meadowhawks are found from British Columbia into the southwestern United States. They are common west of the Cascades but tend to be less common elsewhere. They perch facing the sun, thereby reducing surface area and subsequent overheating (Kerst and Gordon).